Nothing evokes summer and seaside dinners quite like a beautiful plate of Spaghetti allo Scoglio, a dish that is worth cooking over and over again… as soon as you have access to good fresh fish, essential for the original recipe.

The image captures a plate of spaghetti allo scoglio. The pasta is enrobed in a tomato-based sauce, evident from the chunks of tomato nestled among the strands. It's generously studded with a variety of seafood: open clams with their golden insides on display, mussels in their black shells, and plump prawns. Fresh parsley is sprinkled over, providing a pop of green against the reds and browns. The dish has a rustic and robust appeal, with a homemade quality that suggests it's packed with flavor. The tablecloth beneath has a festive pattern, perhaps indicating a family gathering or a special meal at home.

Spaghetti allo Scoglio (Spaghetti With Mixed Seafood)

Guido Pasquariello

Dive into the ocean’s bounty with this classic Italian seafood pasta dish, where perfectly cooked spaghetti is kissed by the flavors of mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, and more.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Course First Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Equipment

Large pot
Colander
Skillet
Cutting board
Knife
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

14 ounces spaghetti
14 ounces mussels
14 ounces clams
4 jumbo shrimp
8 small shrimp
10.5 ounces calamari
10.5 ounces canned peeled tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
Dry white wine
1 shallot
1 small carrot
Fresh parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

Prepare Shellfish: Soak the clams and mussels in cold water for at least 2 hours, changing the water 2-3 times to remove sand. Scrub the mussels, remove the beards, and rinse again. Cook in separate pots until they open, then shell them, reserving a third of the shells for garnish.
14 ounces mussels, 14 ounces clams
Prepare Calamari: Clean the calamari by removing the entrails and skin, then cut into rings. Sauté chopped shallot, carrot, and garlic in olive oil. Add calamari and cook for 4-5 minutes, then deglaze with white wine.
10.5 ounces calamari, 2 cloves garlic, Dry white wine, 1 shallot, 1 small carrot, Extra virgin olive oil
Cook Shrimp: Clean the jumbo shrimp and small shrimp, removing the shells and intestinal tract. Sauté in a pot with garlic-infused olive oil for a few minutes, removing the small shrimp first. In the same pot, add chopped peeled tomatoes and let them simmer, occasionally adding some clam cooking liquid. Finally, add clams, mussels, jumbo shrimp, and small shrimp, cooking for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4 jumbo shrimp, 8 small shrimp, 10.5 ounces canned peeled tomatoes, Salt, Pepper
Cook Spaghetti: Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and transfer to the pot with the seafood sauce. Finish cooking the spaghetti in the sauce, adding more clam cooking liquid as needed. Stir in chopped parsley and serve hot.
14 ounces spaghetti, Fresh parsley

Notes

Feel free to use your favorite type of pasta, such as linguine or fettuccine, for this dish. Adjust the seasoning according to your taste preferences. Enjoy the taste of the sea with this flavorful Italian seafood pasta!

Spaghetti allo Scoglio: A Symphony of Sea and Tradition

This image presents a close-up view of a pan full of spaghetti allo scoglio, a traditional Italian seafood pasta dish. The spaghetti is cooked and appears to be tossed with a light sauce. Among the pasta are a variety of seafood: open mussels with their blue-black shells, whole shrimps with their orange-pink shells, and clams with their striped, pale shells. Pieces of tomato and herbs are scattered throughout, adding color and suggesting a flavorful, aromatic experience. The dish is a feast for the eyes, with the vibrant colors and textures suggesting a fresh and tasty meal straight from the sea.

As I bring my version of Spaghetti allo Scoglio to completion, I’m reminded why this dish holds a special place in the pantheon of Italian cuisine. It’s not just the succulent treasures from the sea, like tender calamari and juicy prawns, that make this dish stand-out.

In the picture, we see a large black pot filled with freshly cooked spaghetti. The spaghetti appear to be in the process of being tossed and coated in a red sauce, a tomato-based one, characteristic of a seafood spaghetti dish. Beneath the spaghetti, we can catch glimpses of the seafood, key elements of the dish: there are mussels with their shiny black shells wide open and slices of calamari, suggesting a variety of seafood is mixed into the sauce.

Nor is it the vibrant debate between the “in bianco” purists and the cherry tomato enthusiasts that adds to its charm. It’s the way Spaghetti allo Scoglio embodies the spirit of Sicilian cooking and continues to be beloved in kitchens from Livorno to Lombardy.

It’s a testament to the Italian philosophy of utilizing local, fresh ingredients, with each city adding its signature flare – a culinary mosaic of Italy’s diverse coastal culture. For those intrigued by the flavors of Livorno, I encourage you to dive deeper into Livorno city’s gastronomic offerings, where the sea’s bounty meets the warmth of Italian tradition.